Outliers
by darkdragonemperess
Summary: There are things that go bump in the night. This is something the Winchester boys had always known. What they could never have predicted was how broken and beautiful some of those things were.
1. In the beginning

The world, and small little chunks of it, is often saved in the dead of night. Protected by those that move through towns like ghosts. Interacting with many, but leaving a lasting impression on only a few. These phantom figures call themselves hunters. Nomads that rove the land, fighting the things that nightmares are made of. But even this bizarre realm has outliers. Beings so far outside the norm, they could even fall into the scope of things to be hunted. A terrible burden placed on a pair of teenagers. The tale of Kali and Mel would never show up in the history records. Even those that contain the words and exploits of fellow hunters. Because they are outliers. Half breeds by way of birth. Hunters and siblings by their own choice.

* * *

Hello Everyone. Thanking you for taking the time to read this work. This tale is a bit different than usual, as it is a collaborative piece between myself and the very talented princess-snow510. I hope you will enjoy.

Neither author's owns the characters of the show, or the situations of the show. This is simple a tale created by a few fans. However, several of the main characters are our own invention, as will be a good many situations in the story. Have fun.

* * *

County road 357. A small patch of dirt that stretched on for unending miles. A mostly forgotten, yet strangely worn, path than an actual road. Situated between two vast sections of very dense forest. Located in what could only be described as the middle of nowhere. Few souls wandered the desolate strip even under the best of conditions. Even fewer strolled its compacted dirt trail that particularly dreadful evening. The air was filled with an unnatural chill. Powerful gusts of wind randomly slapping at the slightly cowering trees. The heavens unleashing torrents of violent rain, as if it meant to drown the unsuspecting world. Not a single one of the usually brilliant stars managed to shine through the ominous back clouds. It was a night greatly reminiscent of the biblical floods. A night where all but the bravest of souls simply gathered around a warm hearth and prayed for the sun to once more shine. Yet the extraordinarily harsh environment seemed to do little to dampen the spirits of the lone traveler. Sauntering down the path as though without a care in the world. A young teenage girl. Dancing across the area. Sloshing around in the ankle high muddy water, seemingly oblivious to the gushes of water currently attacking her umbrella. She whistled a random tune as she walked, sparing occasional glances at the shadows over her shoulder. After the third look, her footsteps slowed before ceasing all together. She stood silently in the downpour, waiting patiently. The straggler trotted out of the shadows. A massive wolf that easily came up past her hip. Its dark grey fur dingy and matted from rain and sludge.

"What's wrong girl? Getting slow in your old age?" The girl teased playfully. Taunting the beast that routinely instilled heart stopping terror to even hardened warriors. The animal shook its head and gave a barking laugh. One that gave the impression of a sarcastic response. The human just chuckled softly, a wide smile situated on her pretty face. "You're right. Tonight wasn't exactly the best night to walk. But you know how I feel about Jake. That guy gets much too handsy."

The wolf seemed to sigh deeply, and once again resumed walking. Apparently agreeing with the assessment. Or at least accepting the situation. Suddenly the heavy rain stopped slapping at her fur. The sky had yet to cease weeping, but water was no longer pelting her hunched form. Looking up, the wolf noticed the dark blue fabric now situated above her head. A quick glance to the side revealed a now soaked human. A few unshielded moments in the harsh storm had left the girl drenched. Fabric clinging tightly to pale skin. Rivulets running down the feminine body.

"Woof!" The wolf barked in protest. A worried eye traveling over the exposed girl. She barked a few more times, letting her displeasure be known.

"You worry too much." The brunette laughed, folding up the umbrella. After the object was once again its compact size, she slipped it to a belt loop. "Now we can both just be miserable." The wolf seemed to roll her eyes, accepting the decision. They continued on their way. The girl resumed whistling a favorite song, with the beast at her side joining in. Halfway through the much sung chorus, the wolf's howls ceased. The human instantly froze, eyes darting around suspiciously in the darkness. A practiced eye searching for any movement in the shadows. Waiting patiently for the wolf's next sign. Rather than the expected directional growl, she began to whimper. The girl's jaw dropped at the unorthodox antic. But before she could voice a single question, the animal darted off into the night. With a shout of surprise, the human followed. Giving chase down the flooded path. She caught up to the animal at least a dozen yards down the road. Her whimpering continued as she began nudging a patch of tall grass on the side.

"What is it?" The girl raised an eyebrow in question. Stepping to the area when the animal began to paw impatiently at something hidden by the vegetation. The girl knelt down, ignoring the mud caking onto her bare knees. She pushed aside several blades of grass and gasped in surprise. A girl around her age lay curled up in the grass. Wet clothes clinging to the ragged figure. Despite the wolf pawing worriedly at the prone form, she didn't stir. With much worry, the brunette moved to examine the figure more closely. A sigh of relief passed through her lips as she detected a feint pulse on the neck. It wasn't much, but at least it was an indication of life. With great care, the girl was gathered up in her arms. She stepped lightly to avoid jostling the unconscious girl. There hadn't been any apparent broken bones, but she didn't want to chance any further damage. Cradling the new cargo, she continued down the path. To the dark car waiting patiently near the dead tree.

"I guess maybe it was a good night to walk after all."

* * *

The gravel crunched loudly as bare feet struck the hard wet stones. Tears continued to slide down already wet cheeks. Falling to the ground as the girl continued to flee her past.

"I'm so sorry Carson." She whispered softly to the frigid air. Ushering an unheard apology for what had to have been at least the millionth time. Despite how hard she tried to keep it from her mind, the memories continued to surface. That horrible night playing over and over in a loop. Flashbacks to the wretched day when her idyllic life came to an end. Plaguing her vision with images too horrible to comprehend. As if her mind itself was mocking her mistake. Something that would never have happened if she had just been born normal.

"_What have you done Kali? Kali, what have you done!" The voice screeched in an almost unbearable cacophony as grey eyes bore into the girl. Angry and accusing. "You bitch, you killed him!"_

"_It…It was an accident. I didn't. I swear I didn't mean…" The words soft and broken. The voice of a frightened child. But it did little to calm the rage boiling in those cold steel irises._

"_You're nothing but a monster. A freak!" The voice sneered coldly. "An abomination that needs to be destroyed."_

Part of her had agreed with the voice. She was an abomination. If she wasn't, Carson would still be alive. It was her fault his life was cut short. Her responsibility. She didn't deserve the beautiful and normal life he had blessed her with. She was nothing but a monster. Despite wanting to be punished for her transgressions, a large part of her still favored self-preservation. It forced her to flee into the night in a desperate attempt at hiding.

"_You little bitch! I will kill you. Do you hear me!" The snarling voice echoed in the shadows. Somewhere behind the frantically running girl. "You can't hide from me! No matter how far you run I will find you! I don't give a damn what you are! You are fucking dead!" The words slowly faded into the background, replaced by the less jarring sounds of nature. _

The woman would come for her. Seek her out to exact vengeance. To get revenge for her beloved, and the life that was stolen. But this wasn't actually anything new. The hatred or the threats. Regina had hated her from the moment they met. Despised the five year old child that had wandered onto the porch.

"_Regina darling come out here for a moment." Carson called into the house. The screen porch opened and an imposing figure stepped onto the porch of the man's estate. She was beautiful, in a professional sort of way. A tall but fragile looking figure. Yet her face was rigid in its angular beauty. Her shiny ebony hair hung loose around delicate shoulders. It's deep color a perfect backdrop to the creamy pale neck it surrounded. Her purple skirt and top clung just tight enough to her soft curves. A perfectly tailored piece. Gold was everywhere on the woman. The hoops in her ears, the chain around her neck, and especially the multiple thin bracelets worn on her left arm. But the most magnificent piece of jewelry was the diamond ring on her hand. The flawless stone sparkling in the sunlight. She oozed an aura of wealth. With quick steps she made her way to the duo standing just at the stairs. Soul shattering gray eyes ran over the figure before her. Her sneer hidden behind a fake smile. Immediately her gaze clashed with delicate hazel irises. A battle that went unnoticed by the man. He simply continued to smile at the pair. "Darling please meet my lovely niece. She is going to be staying with us from now on." Carson beamed with pride at the announcement. Again missing the slight frown that touched across the woman's delicate lips._

"_I see." The woman replied, her tone coated in a layer of ice. Her eyes slid over towards her husband. "So, does she have a name?"_

"_Oh yes of course. Her name is-" His words were cut off by the child next to him._

"_Yes I have a name. And I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't talk as though I wasn't here. If you wanna know something about me…ask me yourself." Her tone was very cordial, but mimicked the ice the woman had shown._

"_Well aren't we bold." Gray eyes sparkled in malice, mouth taut in annoyance._

"_Very." Hazel eyes gazed right back, glowing with amusement._

"_Well Regina, what do you think? Isn't she just positively lovely?" Carson asked excitedly, oblivious to the jealousy currently being stirred in his wife. Regina's eye twitched in irritation. Her steel gaze once again fell to the child. Searching her face in a desperate attempt to find a flaw. Any flaw, no matter how miniscule. As long as it ruined the picture of unspoiled beauty. But there was none. Despite wanting to criticize nonexistent blemishes, words of admiration were forced roughly through narrow lips. She commented on the flawless skin. The lovely and absolutely to die for hazel eyes. Soft supple raspberry lips that were full and perfectly colored without a touch of cosmetics. But Kali new these were not words of praise. They were anything and everything but the compliments they were masked as. Callous eyes and bitter tone made it apparent the woman thought these were traits that she shouldn't possess. A miscarriage of justice that she was allowed to bare them._

"_My, she is just…a pretty little thing." The words came out in a half sneer, half smile. Eyes narrowing in anger._

"_Of course she is. After all, she does look just like her uncle." The man chuckled at his own quip of vanity. "There is no doubt she is going to be beautiful."_

"_I never said anything about her being beautiful." Regina scoffed in words so low; her husband couldn't possible hope to hear them. But Kali did._

"_Oh, I'm sorry dear did you say something?" Carson asked his wife curiously. She pasted on a fake smile._

"_Nothing dear. Just thinking about how much Kali will enjoy the trees when they bloom." Her voice was soft and sweet, completely at odds with the malice that danced in her eyes._

"_You're right. The place will be stunning Kali. Now, how about I show you to your room?" He offered, giving the child a beaming smile. The gears in Kali's head were spinning. She was very enlightened on human interaction. On seeing what people hid beneath the thin veneer they pasted on the surface. And she could see through Regina as if the woman was made of cellophane. The moment the woman had stepped off the porch, Kali knew they would be enemies. Regina was a very typical gold digger. She craved constant attention. Wanting to be showered in lavish gifts and praises. In her mind, Kali could only be a threat. A younger and far prettier girl brought into the household. Capable of stealing valuable resources away from her. Stealing attention and money from Carson. It didn't matter that Kali was his niece. Or that she was still just a child. In the older woman's view, Kali was now the enemy. A bemused smile fell on the young girl's face. Was Regina right to fear? Could she ever truly be a threat to this woman? Hell yeah she could._

_A darker, more sinful, part of Kali arose in that instant. Lips twitching into a mischievous smirk as her gaze was leveled at the woman. Eyes wide and darkened. She jumped into the arms of her uncle. Wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek affectionately. "Thank you so much Uncle! I know I am just going to love it here."_

"_Of course you will princess." Carson practically squealed at the adorableness of the girl. He wrapped his arms tighter around the child. "Anything you want is yours sweetie." He walked into the house, without even sparing a glance at his wife. Too busy focusing on the child in his arms. He chatted with such animation. Telling Kali about all the fun they were going to have. All the things he would buy just for her. As they passed, Kali threw a knowing look over her uncle's shoulder. Smiling as Regina tried to regain her composer, while still throwing a hateful glare at the child. Kali's eyes darkened another few shades._

"_He's mine now." She_ _mouthed to the very shocked woman._

Everything in her body ached. Even her eye lids were tired. Her eyes focused on the long stretch of road, the darkness doing nothing to dampen her vision. She had long since adapted to the shadows of the night. Having run a great many of them. Truthfully, running seemed to be the only thing she ever did anymore. Quite frankly, she was getting tired of it. But there was no other choice. She hadn't eaten in days. Her last meal a chocolate bar she managed to steal from a little no name shop. She couldn't remember the last time she had actual food. Her ribs were beginning to protrude from her sides. The soles of her feet were also beginning to bleed. The skin long ago cracked. The flimsy shoes she had on long since destroyed. But it didn't matter. Her wounds would heal whenever she got the chance to rest. She just didn't know when that would be. She was a hunted animal at the moment and didn't have time for things like rest.

She forced herself to run faster, to try to escape the thoughts in her mind. Her heart began to race painfully, the beats echoing out into the darkness. She passed by an old sign. The words _**County Road 357**_flashing out at her as she ran by. It felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest. Finally, against her will, her legs began to falter. Her body collapsed as what little energy she had evaporated into the air. To make matters worse, the sky decided to break open and douse the entire area with a heavy rain. It was as if the heavens themselves were mocking her. She was soaked and freezing in a matter of minutes. Her eyes closed and once again she began wondering why things had turned out this way. Why they happened as they did. Every second that passed, her body became more and more numb. Both mentally and physically she was shutting down. But that was ok. She didn't want to feel anything anymore. Not after what she had done.


	2. Heavens and the Earth Meet

The piece of jewelry on the table looked almost pathetically ordinary. Simple small glass beads held by a slightly decaying leather strap. It looked more like something that would be found in a small thrift store than a well renowned house of history. At first glance, it appeared as nothing more than an old piece of junk. It's value only seen by some hipster trying to avoid the mainstream trends of fancy metals and valuable jewels. Or maybe some hippie enchanted with the way it tapped into nature. To the untrained eye, it would be easy to miss how truly priceless the item could be. That was actually one of the reasons Mel was so enthralled with her work. A part time curator at one of the town's most famous landmarks. A rather prestigious institute for the valuable artifacts of human history. Or to be put more plainly, the town's very well-known human history museum. It dallied with a bit of natural science, but for the most part it focuses primarily on the human aspect of nature.

Most people she interacted with often questioned her choice of a job. At first they assumed it was taken because of the easy paycheck. Becoming more than shocked when they found out how difficult it actually was. As one never knew when something might be shipped the hours were often very bizarre. She could work upwards of ten hours a day, in segments as long as two hours. Or short as twenty minutes. Then there were the deadlines. These could be so pressing it made the place occasionally grueling. There were days when she would enter the museum before sun up and not see the outside world until the sun had already gone to sleep. They were even wrong about how much money she made from her labor. The pay was more than decent, but nowhere close to what people thought would be fair compensation. The conversation would almost invariably lead to her being a smart, beautiful, and very talented girl. It would be pathetically easy for her to land any job the town offered. They would often point out how much easier it would be to go into her sister's line of work. Not even half the hours and easily more than double the pay. Few ever seemed to understand she took the job not for money, but for the love of what she was doing. The challenge of restoring and authenticating pieces of history gave her more satisfaction than a monstrously bloated paycheck ever could. She loved sitting down at her desk and attempting to piece together the story of the what, when, why, and how of the object in her possession. Exactly as she was doing now.

With steady hands, the brunette carefully lifted the strap from the table. Conscience of the much worn leather, she kept even her breathing low and even so as not to disturb the fragile artifact any more than necessary. If they were right, the piece in her hands was at least five, and as much as seven, millennia old. Easily one of the most valuable pieces in the museum's collection. She ran a gloved finger over the smooth and still vibrant tiny beads. Tomorrow the lab work would come in, either to authenticate or dismiss the ancient treasure. But tonight was another one of her tests. The main curator at the museum knew exactly how important preserving history was. He was a very knowledgeable man, strict to the point of obsessive. He demanded the same level of dedication that he himself exhibited. Which is why he periodically issued challenges to his workers. Unlike the others, Mel relished the trials. The opportunity to show her skills and worth in the field. In fact, this was her chosen secondary job to hunting. Not only did it fascinate her, it was an occupation that lent itself very easily to the primary one. No one ever thought twice if you walked into an area on an "archeological dig". They never questioned collecting old talismans or studying ancient tribes and their lore.

"Is it going to be much longer?" The voice rang out in the empty room. Mel didn't even flinch at the unexpected sound. Simply continued to gaze through the magnifying glass and examine the priceless antique. The girl draped herself across the next desk. Head hanging down the side as watchful eyes zoned in on barely discernible blips of movement. The bubblegum in her mouth was chewed loudly, occasionally escaping into the world in the form of quickly popped bubbles. A few exaggerated sighs added on for affect, and it no longer became feasible to completely ignore the intruder.

"I already warned you when I sat down this was going to be a very long process." She kept her eyes on the piece, careful not to miss even the most minuscule detail.

"But I didn't think it would take this long. Or be this boring." She grumbled slightly. The brunette ignored the jab. Her sister was an amazing creature. Beautiful, intelligent, and quite frankly one of the most competent people she had ever met. But on occasions more numerous than she cared to admit, Mel often got the distinct impression of dealing with a five year old. "Besides, we both know that gigantic brain of yours solved the mystery in the first two minutes."

"Of course, but I need to be extra thorough this time." Mel couldn't help but smile at the random compliment. It stayed on her lips even after annoyed sighs and irritated noises once more filled the space. "You know you didn't have to visit me at work."

"But it's been ages since we last hung out. We've both been so busy it's like we don't even live on the same planet anymore. And it's not like you ever visit me at my job." She mumbled with another exaggerated sigh. Mel rolled her eyes at the theatrics.

"You know I don't visit you at the studio because it interrupts your lessons. And I definitely won't visit you at the club because that troll of a manager keeps trying to force a job on me. And a few other things not mentioned in polite society." This elicited a laugh from the girl still sprawled across the table top.

"Yeah Gus can get a bit pushy every now and then. Never thought that would bother my invulnerable big sis." She teased, drawing her older sister into a playful banter to alleviate some of her ever growing boredom.

"I can't stand being touched. You know that. Besides this place would fall apart without me. Walker fired another two assistants in the past week."

"Damn. Wait, doesn't that mean you are the only person in his department to make it more than six months? That's got to be some kind of record."

"Yeah. The award ceremony is next week. Wear something tasteful and elegant." The two shared a quick laugh before Mel once again resumed her work.

"Hey Bee?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful please. People might start talking about you sleeping with him to keep your job or something. I don't want to give these assholes any more reasons to talk shit." Her voice was no longer jovial, but rather had hints of strain and worry in them. Kali didn't necessarily care what people thought, but she understood how much havoc one properly entrenched and widespread rumor could wreck. For the first time in the conversation, Mel set the article down and pushed away from the work station. Leveling a soft look at her adopted sister, a smile on her face.

"Don't worry butterfly. Rumors like that are very unlikely to happen considering how flamingly open the old man is." A sparkle hit hazel eyes, followed quickly by strong smile. Kali groaned and smacked her forehead lightly.

"Crap you're right. Completely forgot the old man likes the dick."

"Kali, proper young ladies should never speak with such unrefined crudeness." Mel chastised in her most proper voice. Kali raised an upside down eyebrow.

"Really? Coming from the record holder of the town's annual spitting contest?"

"True. Ah fuck it let me put this up and we can grab a bite to eat."

"Now that's what I'm talking about." The younger girl laughed, hopping off the smooth wooden table. She waited as patiently as she could for the elder to repackage the delicate object. Of course, that patience was worn pathetically thin after the first few seconds. Followed by prompting empathetic sighs and melodramatically exaggerated foot taps.

* * *

The pair strode leisurely down the street. Locked arm in arm. Neither caring what any outsider might make of the affectionate gesture. After a little more than five minutes, they approached the old but fairly maintained building. The neon sign above the door sputtering at random moments. The sign that normally read _Rooster's _occasionally bore the name _R ost r'_. But that didn't matter to the teenagers. It was their favorite place in the world to come for a bite. A little twenty four hour hole in the wall where the waitress still called everybody darling, regardless of gender. They slipped in through the door, the familiar bell ringing as if welcoming them back. Without hesitation they moved to the back of the establishment, and became rather displeased to find two men already occupying the almost holy space. They had picked that booth long ago. Sat there at what had to have been at least over two thousand visits. Yet on a day they were both a little antsy and in need of comfort, they find a couple of intruders encroaching their territory. In the museum, Mel had a strict sense of control. She was a competent mature adult that never spoke ill behind a colleague's back, and always exhibited an air of collected calm. But in the real world she could be every bit as vindictive and petty as the next person. There was a possible hunt they needed to attend to the next week, midterms the week after that, and another possible three verification and authentication processes to be shipped out in the next few days. Without the comfort of the museum's rigid structure, she was feeling a little frazzled. Personally, she wanted to rip the heads of the two jackasses that dared to defile their precious sanctuary. As necessary on occasion, Kali was the voice of reason. She let the unexpected intrusion roll down her feathers and ushered her sister to an empty booth on the other side of the building. They slid into the well-worn, but still very comfortable, green leather padding. Giggling a bit at the way her sister fumed.

"What can I get you darling?" The middle aged waitress sauntered over to the now occupied seat. Her eyes flicked momentarily to the place they normally sat. "Sorry about giving up your seats. We didn't expect you in tonight."

"It's ok Paige. It's not like we pay to reserve it or anything." Kali laughed, flashing a smile at the woman. Launching a painful kick at her sister's shin until the other girl murmured a weak agreement.

"So what can I get you two sweat peas tonight?" Paige asked, beaming a wide smile at the table. She didn't even bother offering the menus.

"I will have your famous frosted cola and my sister will take her usual Shirley temple with a hint of orange. For dinner I will have the dinosaur steak, cooked the usual way with a side of fries and lettuce salad. She will take a Yeti burger doused in mustard with a side of fries and a cup of peas. And for desert the usual two scoop Sundays." The dark blonde reiterated the same order placed almost every time they were in the shop. Jotting down a few quick notes, the waitress rushed off to fill the order. She returned a minute later with their drinks. The girls launched into idle chatter as they waited for their upcoming bounty. After a few minutes, a pair of steaming plates were set on the table. Containing the feast that had been ordered. The pair relished the delicious comfort food heaped onto their plates. For ones with such athletic figures, the sisters easily downed the rather generous servings. As they launched ravenously into the delectable treat of homemade ice cream, Kali spared a glance to their normal booth. A dark blonde and brunette with sharp green eyes chowed on their own meals. "See, the food doesn't taste any different when we aren't in your precious seat." The older sister rolled her eyes at the teasing banter.

"I don't like change when I'm tense."

"But you can't even make an exception for guys cuter than a puppy and a kitten cuddling in a shoe?" She questioned, siding slightly with the strangers.

"Kali, take a deep breath. Your ovaries are showing again."

"So says the ice queen." She stuck out her tongue playfully, earning a light tap on the shin from her companion.

* * *

Step by step the two figures crept. Skulking around in the dead of night. Moving through the shadows. Hidden from the sleeping world. The blond led the charge, halting as they approached what might have been a fortress in olden times. A massive stone building. Silent and imposing. Dean could only hope its appearance was not deceiving.

"You sure about this?" He eyed the structure with an equal mix of caution and wariness. They had been on a wild goose chase for days. Chasing false leads and old, no longer relevant, information. After half a dozen of these runs, this was their last chance.

"I'm sure. There is a verified silver dagger with an inlayed ametrine. The only real ametrine in at least 5 states. Pretty much the only one of its kind in the US." Sam whispered in the most hushed tone possible. Trying to avoid unnecessary attention. They were so close he could practically feel the blade in his hand. They couldn't afford to screw this up. The survival of an entire small inlet hinged on getting that one of a kind weapon. They crept further into the shadows. Compressing themselves into the cold stone while they attempted to find a way in. Within moments Sam noticed the ground level window. Most likely leading into the basement. He crouched next to it, peering in and confirming his haunch. It lead into a massive storage room. He pushed carefully against the glass panel. Caught completely by surprise when it opened with ease. It looked like tonight was their lucky night. He slipped through the now open window. Dropping to the floor, he cringed slightly as his boots made a soft thud against the cement. A moment later Dean dropped down next to him. Ready to begin their scavenger hunt.

A few brilliant stars and a single flickering lamp post did little to properly illuminate the stone walkway. A trail filled with deep shadows. Yet the two figures jotted happily down the path. Uncaring of what might have lurked in those dark recesses. Their feet scarcely making a sound as they touched across the cement slabs.

"So…Pete **and** Alan asked me to the zombie bash."

"Pete's a perv and Alan is an idiot."

"Then again Jason wants me to go with him to the city's annual Halloween Ball." Kali continued talking, intentionally ignoring what her sister had to say. "I mean I honestly don't know what to do. The zombie thing has much better music. But if I go to the city one I get to wear a fancier costume. And they always have the most awesomely weird guests."

"Tough choice." Mel answered sarcastically. Halloween was another point the siblings differentiated on. Kali loved everything about it. Getting to dress up and change identities for fun. It was a frustrating chore she dealt with on a hunt. An anchor that was constantly dragging her down. But on Halloween adopting a new identity was like a strong breeze picking her up into the sky. Exhilarating and breathtaking without causing her to sink. Mel was fascinated by the history of the holiday, but detested much of the revelry that went along with it.

"Well fine then. If you aren't going to be helpful then I think I'll just crash whatever party you eventually decide on." She stuck her tongue out teasingly at her sister. Mel rolled her eyes and continued walking.

"Like I would waste my time on that bullshit." She snorted at the ludicrous idea. Kali gasped in mock horror. Grabbing the older girl's arm and forcing her to stop.

"Do not tell me you are going to waste another perfectly fabulous Halloween hiding away in your little office." Kali looked at her sister, waiting for some sort of response. When the other girl offered nothing, she took matters into her own hands. "Hell to the no. You have to learn to take at least a night off every once and awhile."

"Not on fucking Halloween." Mel snapped, yanking her arm away. Instantly she regretted the harsh tone. "Sorry. I never wanted to bother you before but this town gets very stupid that night. Lots of attempted ghost summoning and botched conjuring. I spend at least half the night making sure dumbass teenagers don't open the door to the next Amityville horror. " She hoped the explanation would be enough of a balm. Even though she was exasperatingly persistent, Kali just wanted her to have at least a semblance of a normal life. Attending parties and at least attempting friendly contact with the opposite gender. It wasn't her fault Mel had never quite figured out how to be normal. Hell, the closest she ever got was acting when they were on a hunt.

"Why didn't you tell me that's what you were doing?" Kali's voice was exceptionally soft, yet each word held so much weight.

"I didn't want to ruin your night off." Mel shrugged.

"Are you kidding?" The softness in the voice was gone, replaced by the usual exuberance. "Why the hell would anyone skip ghost hunts for some lame party?" She laughed loudly, as if the idea was utterly absurd. Throwing her arm around the other girl, a giant smile on her face. Mel returned the smile, feeling much better about her pastime. Leave it to Kali to make interacting with dead people sound like the cool thing to do. The younger girl was about to say something more, when a gentle finger was pressed against her lips. Mel urged her sister to silence as the chill continued to run along her spine. An almost painful coldness. She eyed the building looming in front of them. Trying to distinguish exactly what had set the feeling off.

"Sorry Kali, my spidey senses are tingling." She explained, removing her finger from the other girl's lips. Both honed their focus onto the structure. Holding their breath for long moments so as not to disturb even the air. After a silent and sluggish few minutes of observation, nothing was verified. All the doors and windows were still in proper place. And neither could pick up even a minute trace of supernatural aura. Outside what some of the relics naturally produced. Kali couldn't help but laugh at the false tense moment.

"See, I said you were stressing yourself out too much freak."

"You were just as paranoid as me skank." The two exchanged a smile. Still finding amusement in their customary insult exchange. If an outsider had dared to utter either of the words, both girls would have ripped their face off. But amongst themselves, it was a much beloved tradition. Still revealing in the mirth, the pair proceeded into the building. The official exam was finished, but there was still a good amount of paperwork to be filled out. And with the loss of two more workers, that left quite a large stack to complete. It was simple, and quite frankly mind numbing, work. To keep her brain from just shutting down, Mel blasted music to keep herself somewhat entertained. She clicked on her favorite music list. Switching over and starting one of the forms before the first note reached the speaker. The distinctive guitar strums poured out of the speakers. Kali made a face as she recognized the song.

"You still listen to that junk?"

"Don't diss the maiden." Mel answered without looking away from the screen. The computer screen casting a feint glow as her fingers raced across the keyboard. Kali sighed theatrically. The exaggeration brought a small smile to the older girl's lips. She began singing along, throwing a sideways glance at her sister.

_Now I lay me down to sleep. _The words drifted from the speakers. Spoken by a masculine voice. Quickly echoed by a young child.

"Ok, even you have to admit that's creepy as hell." Kali muttered. Mel nodded slightly, agreeing with the assessment. She quickly flicked back to the playlist and selected the next song. The different but equally familiar intro began playing. Eliciting a Cheshire grin onto the younger girl. She grabbed her sister's arm and yanked her out of the chair.

"What the-"

"You owe me for subjecting me to ear rape." She demanded. The grin quickly slipped into a perfect pout. Mel sighed and accepted the situation.

"It's all the same. Only the names will change." The brunette belted across the room. Quickly joined by the other girl. They sang the song that had won them their final singing trophy. Following the music every bit as enthusiastically as when they had been on that stage. Very preoccupied, and not sensing any actual danger, neither noticed the shadows flickering at the door.

* * *

Breaking into the museum had been a breeze. Finding the needed artifact, not so much. They had spent the last ten minutes wandering through the maze of rooms. As enormous as the outside had been, it still concealed how massive the interior was. They still hadn't even covered half of the generous square footage. Dean was about to let out a frustrated curse, biting the word painfully back at the last moment. Music had filtered into their hallway. From a room way too close to their present location. His knuckles went white as he gripped the now off flashlight.

_Why the hell would anyone be in here this time of night? _The thought flashed through Dean's mind. A small smile tugged at his lips at the next thought. _At least they have good taste in music._

Sam did not seem to find the same silver lining. His entire body was tense. Prepped for possible discovery.

"Relax Sam. Play it cool." Dean whispered as quietly as possible. The younger Winchester wheeled around. A frown on his face, and a strong look of irritation in his eyes. He quickly closed the distance between the two.

"Damn it Dean. The dagger is probably in the new exhibits. We have to pass that door." He pointed to one beaming light into the hallway. The only one with occupants. The bad luck made Dean want to laugh.

* * *

Tension and weariness slowly drained from the dancing figure. Bringing a refreshing burst of air into the now rejuvenated body. The beaming smile now on Mel's face was a testament to this fact. She had been feeling bogged down by the world for much too long. It had become her norm. She hadn't realized how close she had come to hunter's fatigue. But being with Kali again was quickly diminishing the terrifying feelings. An effect her sister's presence always had on her. It was the only way she could still keep smiling. Especially after all she had been through. She laughed in utter abandon as Kali twirled her around. When her feet came to a stop, the smile had faltered somewhat. Letting the other girl know it was no longer genuine. Her eyes flicked momentarily towards the door. A warning.

There had been something in the shadows. A brief flicker of movement that had lasted half a second. Spotted somewhat from her periphery. A normal person would have attributed such a thing to a trick of the imagination. An illusion generated by fear of the unknown in the darkness. But she knew better. Years as a hunter had helped her abnormally heightened senses hone to a razor shape edge. Those instincts saved lives on more than one occasion. Especially her own. Which is why, despite almost no evidence, every fiber in her being was screaming that they weren't alone. She maintained her façade of calm, to give them the slight advantage of surprise.

* * *

Dean slipped quickly into the heavy darkness. Mentally cursing his own stupidity. The situation was practically a blessing. The shadows did wonders to hide them from sight. The ear drum busting music perfect for masking even their loudest noises. Not knowing they had visitors, the occupiers of the room were heavily distracted. Wouldn't be thinking to look for an intruding presence. It should have been a cake walk. For Sam it was. He crouched low, jotting to the other side of the door in record time. The sound of his boots scuffing the tile muffled to the point of muteness. Gestured for him to hurry and do the same. But he didn't. In the most unbelievable display of idiocy, he had let curiosity get the better of him. Halfway across, he paused. Chancing a quick glance into the room. Finding himself welded to the spot as he observed the two beauties prance around. Singing in the most melodic voices. It reminded him of the Greek nymphs. The paralysis had only lasted a few seconds. But it damn near got them caught. The brunette had been wheeled around. For a split second her eyes pierced into the darkness. The very shadow he melded into at the last moment. His heart pounded painfully loud in his chest. He mentally ran down the list for every synonym of idiot he could think of. Knowing Sammy would enlighten him to a few more after this little excursion was through. He didn't even chance a quick look at his brother. Wanting to appear as stationary as the wall. Let her think whatever had moved was a mere figment of her imagination. He bit back the sigh of relief when her back was once more to him. With lightning speed, he slipped over to his brother's side. Sam's eyes betraying his extreme irritation. He ignored it and pressed on. They had more important things to worry about right now. Like finding that dagger.

* * *

With the stealth of trained assassins, the two girls crept out of the room. Leaving both light and music running. Given the illusion of a still occupied room. It was rare for break ins to happen at the museum. But not exactly unheard of. Bored and very stupid teens on a dare. Occasionally amateur thieves looking for an impressive score to improve their bank account and street cred. On most other night they would have encountered no more resistance than a simple alarm and an elderly guard that was always late for his shift. Whoever it was apparently had horrible luck. Both had slight smiles on their faces. Most of the burglaries were of the former type. And it was always a little fun to bruise the overinflated egos the youth in the town all seemed to possess. The intruders seemed to be headed towards the main show room. The girls separated. Choosing to go at them from either side. They got into position and waited for the footsteps to indicate the new fish had found their way into the net. Every time they encountered an idiot youth trespassing, they would play their own prank. Corralling them into a confined area, they would wait a minute or so. Then when the person was comfortably settled, maybe even distracted by one of the many interesting objects, they would flick on the lights and scream bloody murder. Even the most macho athlete always wore a look of abject terror. Screaming in an uncomfortably high pitch. A few even pissed themselves. Mel was a bit perturbed by how enjoyable she found the whole thing. Disturbed by her surprising sadistic streak. But that didn't mean she was going to stop. The museum was her second home, and even in such extreme darkness it was easy to navigate. She found her station, her fingertips already hovering over the light switch. She could see the slight movement across the room as Kali moved into place. They stood in silence, each mentally counting to sixty. When the magic number was reached, each switch was flicked. Followed by the blood curling screams. The two faces were the expected terror, but they were far older than the average teen. Mel felt the growl build up in her throat. These were thieves.

* * *

The sudden burst of light was blinding. But that was nothing compared to the screams. The sounds of extreme pain and fear filled their ears, and for a moment both brothers felt a trickle of fear. Each wondering if they had accidently disturbed a ghost. Dean glanced to the right. Blinking to clear his heavily blurred vision. When it cleared, he blinked a few more times to make sure. The girl standing a few yards away did not flicker. Her coloring was very much in line with a living person. But she did look extremely pissed off. Her nostril's flared and he could swear a growl had rolled out of her lips. That wasn't important though. She was very real. And they were very much in trouble. Both brothers spun around and bolted in different directions. It would make it easier to get away. Even if they were caught, neither girl was exactly a football player. It wouldn't be too difficult to force their way out. But neither was interested in getting rough if it wasn't absolutely necessary. Dean ran down the way they had come in. Sam taking an offshoot hallway. The sisters gave chase.

* * *

Mel ran as fast as her feet could carry her. Cursing how her legs were shorter than the intruder's. It gave him a distinct advantage. He planted a foot and forced himself to turn a corner. She hissed in irritation as she lost sight. Smiling slightly when she rounded and found him still relatively close. She was gaining on him. The bastard was going down.

Dean twisted and turned at random intervals, hoping that each time would allow him to escape his pursuer. Each time an utter failure. She obviously knew the building well. A distinct advantage. But he was obviously faster. He just had to put a little more distance between them to give her the slip. He turned the flashlight behind him, hoping to momentarily blind the girl. By the pained hiss, his plan seemed to work. Flicking the light off, he dove as quietly as he could into the next available room. His readjusted eyes made out stacks of boxes along the walls. A few random objects scattered on tables in the center of the room. An exam area maybe? He didn't have time to ponder. Hearing the footsteps slow outside. No doubt she was confused by the no longer present sound of his running.

Kali chased her own prey down a myriad of corridors and stairs. He must have led her through half the museum before she finally figured out a way to slow him down. As soon as he entered another room, she halted at the doorway. Her hand frantically scaling the wall. Smiling when her fingers came in contact with the light switch. One flick and powerful incandescent bulbs set the area ablaze. The smile grew wider as she realized not one, but both men, had fallen victim to her plan. They stood in the now lit room, stunned. Frantically attempting to blink away their temporary blindness.

Noticing the light, Mel doubled back and entered the room. Wanting to laugh. Both men stood in the center, trying to readjust to the new brightness. Kali on the other side of the room, smiling at her newly caught prize. Once again the daze lasted a few seconds. But that allowed them the opportunity to close in. They were mere feet away when the guys returned to the land of sight. The shorter one turned to face her. Piercing green eyes showing no sign of distress. Surprising for a cornered animal. The smile on her face fell as his hand crept onto the table. Perilously close to purple quartz embedded stone. At that moment, the only thing she could recall about the relic was how dangerous it was. People had died from it. When his hand moved closer, she lunged. Trying to smack it away. Even if he was a bastard thief, he didn't deserve to die. Both hands met the intermittently rough surface at the same instance. A painfully blinding light expanded from the stone. Filling the room in milliseconds. It vanished as quickly as it appeared.

The perverse silence crept through the room. The weightless presence still managing to suffocate both hardened hunters. Sam could feel it press down on his chest. A painful ringing in his ears. Growing so loud he had the desperate urge to cover them with his hands. To stop the way his pulse was running through his body. Making him away of how alive and terrified he felt. Kali felt the same magnitude of terror. Imagining the bitter taste coating her tongue. Paralyzing her limbs in soundless agony. The room was now two occupants short.


	3. Night at the Museum

They were gone. He was gone. Taken from him once again. First by that bitch Lilith and her pet hellhounds. Now, well Sam wasn't exactly sure. Was it the girls, or some mystical item that resided in the museum? It already contained at least one mystical item; it wouldn't be unheard of for it to possess a second. He tried to follow that train of thought. Tried to piece together at least some half assed theory. But it was proving more difficult by the second. It was impossible for his brain to focus, not with the deep seated panic invading its folds. It felt like glass was shattering around him, startling, yet making no sounds. The outside world mocking his pain, waving at him with a grotesque claw. It was even becoming more difficult to breath. Leaden lungs refused to expand. Refused to allow entry to precious life giving oxygen.

He tried to scream, only to find his voice long gone. Deserting him the same way his thoughts did. Drowning in his own fear, pieces of himself broke off and faded away. Leaving nothing more than the hollow shell of his despair. Finally, he forced his mouth open, but still words eluded him. All he could manage was ragged breaths that stung the back of his throat. This was hell.

"How in the hell?" Kali whispered the question out loud, her delicate features contorted in deep confusion. She took a quick breath and remembered the lessons her sister had ingrained in her. Lesson 1: Avoid panic. It served no purpose other than to distract. Lesson 2: Know what you were dealing with. The girl would literally bitch slap her into next Tuesday if she didn't take a few moments to do proper research. She looked around the room, trying to judge what exactly had changed. "This is the freakiest spot the difference ever." She once more murmured to herself. The room seemed to be in mostly the same place, apart from the now absent people. Tapping her fingers across a desk, her eyes finally honed in on a podium. It had been knocked over during the slight scuffle her sister had moments before vanishing. Something was definitely off, but she couldn't quite place it. Her eyes widened when she noticed the empty ground beside it. _No. It can't be. _Her breath hitched in her throat for a moment. There had been something on that podium. She was certain of it. A really old rock that looked to be filled with purple quartz. Stepping over quickly, she scanned the area. Trying to locate it. But it was gone. She buried the franticness threatening to overwhelm her. So the stories were true. And that meant her only hope currently resided in a bookshelf at home. She needed to get out of the museum, which was an added bonus as she wanted to be any place but.

Sam stood, muttering to himself. Words that were difficult to comprehend. So caught up, he didn't even notice as the other figure approached him.

"Hey. Hey guy." Kali snapped her fingers in his face, trying to get the man's attention. She didn't know what other stories in this place were real, and she wasn't going to risk him finding out. But he never responded. She hissed in frustration. "Don't ignore me you idiot." Like a bolt of lightning her palm struck across his cheek. That seemed to do the trick. The panic attack was broken and he slowly turned towards her. Eyes narrowed in a malicious glare. For a moment, she felt the tiniest trickle of fear. Not real fear. Not even close to what she had experienced on her first hunt. Sure the guy was a giant and was definitely giving off more than a few unhinged waves, but it was nothing she hadn't seen before. She just hated fighting without Mel. Even if the fight was pathetically easy, she always felt just a tad naked when her sister wasn't close by.

In a cold dark room in an uncaring building, two strangers stared at each other intensely. Both aching from current loss. The tension between them palpable.

"Look, I just watched my sister get taken by what should have been a story. And I'm pretty sure your friend, cousin, boy toy… got hitched along for the ride." She gestured animatedly, but her words didn't seem to quite do the trick. "Ok, look, I kind of hate this place. It's dark, cold, and very fucking creepy. I'm exhausted, hungry, and on top of that have a very important dance performance tomorrow. I just really want to go home. If you don't mind, please just follow me out. And because I kind of understand your loss, I'm not even gonna call the cops for the whole breaking and entering thing." She tried to reason with him with partial truths. Hoping it would work. Lesson 3: Unless absolutely necessary, never reveal full info to civilians. They had a habit of accidentally blurting out too much, or worse, got it into their heads to profit from the supernatural. Right now she needed to get home. Needed to get that book if there was any chance to save her sister.

"No." The masculine voice boomed across the empty space. The giant of a man staring at her with a mix of anger and despair. The flash in his eyes let her know he was currently a little unhinged. "I'm not leaving anywhere. Not without Dean. You. You are going to bring him back or-"

"Or what?" She cut off angrily. She had some things that really needed to be taken care of. For all she knew there could be a time limit on getting the person out. All that precious info was currently miles away at home. And this jackass was not letting her get to it.

"I'll make you." Sam hissed darkly, his eyes threatening violence. Kali couldn't help but laugh.

"Are you fucking stupid or something? Did you see me zap your precious Dean somewhere? Or, did you see that stupid stone suck him and my sister in!" She shouted angrily. Her eyes bulged when she realized she had just broken lesson 3. She mentally shrugged it off. Given enough frustration, even Mel occasionally broke them.

"It doesn't matter. You're going to help me get him back." His tone had softened, but none of the malice removed.

"Really?" Kali scoffed. "Look pal, even if I did want to help, I can't."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you two were morons." She snapped, blood boiling just a little too much. Normally Mel would have helped shut the process down by now, but then again big sis wasn't here. And a good chunk of the reason why was the idiot standing before her. "I'm guessing you broke into the place without really researching what the hell it contained. The fucking stone chose them, and I don't know what happens from here. My sister does, but oh wait I'm sorry. It seems Elvis has already left the building." Her patience was bubbling to a thin veneer.

"I don't have time for this." Sam reached into his jacket, pulling out the M9 Berretta stashed inside. Kali's eyes widened slightly at the weapon. "Now I'm going to give you till the count of three."

"Whoa man, calm down." Kali tried to sooth, taking a few steps back. It took a lot more to mess her up than the average human, but she knew from prior experience bullets tended to make the cut. Plus, she didn't have her two legged field hospital there to help. "You don't want to do this. I know you don't."

"One…Give me back my brother." He seethed.

"Brother? He's your brother?" At the admittance, pity flooded Kali's brain. So they really were in the same boat. Except he wasn't exactly handling it in a sane manner. But still, she understood the pain. "Dude listen, I'm sorry. I really am. But I told you, the stone has them."

"2…Well then give me the stone." He offered. The slight insanity in his eyes showing no signs of diluting.

"Does it look like I have the stone?" She asked incredulously. The guy's grief was compromising his rationality. Never a good thing. "It disappeared when it sucked them in." She hoped the answer might appease him somewhat. The way his eyes narrowed, obviously that wasn't the case.

"3." He pulled the trigger the same moment Kali yelled for him to stop. The bullet was true to its trajectory, for a moment. It exploded midflight, sending the two inhabitants careening across the room. Both slamming into exam tables. Kali stood up first. Her warm hazel eyes darkened and watering. Her lithe body shaking.

"You…You fucking asshole! I can't believe you actually tried to shoot me!" She screamed angrily at the stranger. Looking a little shaken, but otherwise completely unharmed. Even crashing into the table left no scraps or bruising.

"What….What are you?" Sam stared at the girl, internally and externally freaking out. He had seen someone fire a gun with their mind before. But he had never seen someone blow up a bullet. Was she like him? She had to be. At the very least, she was a freak like him. Or worse, she was a full blooded monster. "You're…you're a…"

"Say it." She challenged viciously.

"Monster." He looked her straight in the eye as he chanted the word. Even though he believed whole heartedly in what he had said, instantly he regretted it. It was too harsh. He knew it was. But he had no way of knowing the horrific effects it would have on the young girl.

Kali looked down at the floor, struck by the intensity of the word. A sharp pain piercing her heart. Worse than any punch or bullet could ever produce. Her aunt's words savagely tearing through her mind. And the worst part, her sister wasn't there to soothe the ache. Because this jackass and his nitwit brother decided to break into the museum.

Sam looked down at the floor as well. Avoiding the shaking form standing a bit away. Completely ashamed. He was in no shape to be labeling people as monsters. Especially considering the demon blood currently pumping through his veins. His mental dwellings were interrupted when something as hard as a rock connected to his jaw. The force was strong enough to knock him back to the ground. For a moment, he was frozen. His jaw hurt and was already beginning to swell. But he didn't notice. Picking himself off the ground, he turned to face Kali. Stared down at his pixie sized attacker. If he punched back, it would only be the beginning. Of that he was certain. There was too much tension in the room. Too much pain. He could leave now, no further harm. But that was impossible. Not all of that pain was hers. He was beyond angry and desperately wanted Dean back. Even if this wouldn't accomplish the latter, a fight would definitely help dissipate the former. Besides, she definitely was hiding something. He was going to get through to her. Even if the only way to do so was to kick her little ass.

Finding his balance, he threw the first punch at her tear stained face. It connected right on the cheekbone. A satisfying crack echoed throughout the room. But that was only a warm up. A left jab connected with her temple, instantly followed by a right jab to the gut. Finished off by a nice kick to her leg. When it didn't bring her down, he pushed in an attempt to throw her off balance. Then went in for another strike. This one missing completely as she took a quick step back. Kali moved in for her own combo. A quick strike to the other side of his jaw. A jab to his temple, followed by one that split his lip. She continued the assault on his face, until with a blood curling battle cry, threw him against a mirror. The glass shattered all around him as the valuable antique was obliterated. On shaky legs, Sam got up and stalked towards his opponent. Red rivulets drizzling down arm, neck, and face. He tried to throw another punch, but his balance was too off. She dodged it with ease. Kali used the opportunity to throw Sam again. This time he landed on a table containing what had to be another priceless artifact. She wasn't sure what it was, but it shattered on impact. Sam grunted in pain as shards connected with his skin. With a slight snarl, Kali pulled him off the broken table. Slamming him forcefully into the ground. There she straddled him, making sure he couldn't try any sneak attacks. Holding fists full of his collar, she jerked his head painfully up.

"Now, I won't ask nicely again. You are leaving." She hissed angrily, panting slightly from the previous exertion. Sam stared into her face. Watched her busted raspberry colored lips move as words passed through them. Her pixie like nose had a trickle of blood flowing from the left nostril. But her eyes. Despite the slight swell, it was impossible to miss the soul shattering hazel. It burned like the light of a thousand stars. Drawing him in.

_ Beautiful. _Was the only thought he could register.

* * *

Flames raged through every inch of her body. Stomach, lungs, and every millimeter of vein. The pain was unbearable. More intense than anything she had ever been subjected to before. As if someone had given her an IV with battery acid. She tried to scream her agony to the heavens, but sound refused to cooperate. The fire had reached her esophagus and windpipe. Racing through and turning both into scorched pieces of flesh. She tried to at least draw a shallow breath. Hoping a bit of cooling air would help quiet the inferno burning up her insides. Her eyes went wide as she realized even that was out of her reach. Her mouth opened frantically, like a fish out of water. An apt comparison, as neither she nor the fish ever seemed to manage a breath. The ache in her lungs intensified with every failed attempt. But no matter how much she gasped, the air never quite reached her lungs.

"Hey. Hey!" A male voice shouted somewhere behind her. Somewhere close, but impossible to pinpoint. The sound of her own heart beating had already filled her ears. Drowning out the outside world. The edges of her vision began to blur and darken. Her vision failing and her ears down for the count, she was taken by complete surprise when something grabbed her arm. She would have jumped, but her body was simply too busy trying to keep everything running with the little oxygen still available. The almost painful grip pulled her arm, forcing her to spin around. Her gaze instantly locked with bright green irises. The vibrant color was the easiest thing to focus on. The eyes were wide, traces of fear sparkling in their depths. Her vision expanded slightly, and she took in the entire face. His lips moved in some attempts at words, but for the life of her she couldn't figure out a single one. Her eardrums were still not receiving any external sounds, and frankly she had no energy left to lip read. His brow furrowed in frustration, his lips moving much more fervently. At that point he must have been shouting. Yet not a single sound reached her. Spots began to prance around in the center of her eyes. Obstructing her pupils from taking in anything. A conversation randomly flashed in her mind. A tiny symposium she had gone to. The process of the body dying. The speaker had insisted, aside from going in your sleep, drowning was the least painful way to die. But if this was considered the least painful, she didn't even want to imagine the other possibilities.

Blind, deaf, and mute, her sense of touch had kicked into overdrive. Trying to compensate for the loss of its brothers. She felt the fingers tangle in her short hair. The way her head was cruelly jerked downward. She opened her mouth to protest, for a moment completely forgetting the current lack of air. Not that it would have mattered. Even if she had been capable of speech, her words still would have been interrupted. Almost the moment her lips parted, something was jammed into her throat. She gagged at the action, and the offending object was removed just as she launched into a violent coughing fit. Doubling over in pain, her body attempted to purge itself. Her vision came back first. Just in time to witness a thick blue ooze dribble out of her mouth. It looked wretched and felt even worse. But it didn't actually have a taste. Like slimy water. For a few moments, she simply stared at the small pool in disbelief. The pounding in her ears quickly receded and once more she was fully away of the outside world.

"What the actual fuck!" She shouted, glaring at the ooze. Eyes widening, she quickly clutched at her throat. Those words. They had come from her lips. Expelled from her throat. She took in a few ragged breaths, surprised how little it hurt. The internal fire was all but extinguished, leaving no trace of its symptoms. She breathed a sigh of relief. Another minute or so and she would have suffocated.

"So…You ok?" The words were slightly hesitant, as if he were afraid of retriggering whatever had just occurred.

"Um yeah. I think so." She stood up, and for the first time actually glanced over at her 'rescuer'. The thief from the museum. In the darkness, she had noticed very little outside his silhouette profile. Thanks to the abundance of sunlight, she managed to catch a decent look. Chiseled jaw, defined muscles beneath his clothes. He kind of fit the jock profile. But he didn't carry himself like one. Even standing he displayed a slight hunch. One shoulder dipping just a tiny bit lower. As if from an old injury. His outfit was also a bit dated. But what really shocked her was his age. Chronologically, the guy was probably in his thirties. Still rather young. Yet his face held the most unnatural wear. Slight worry lines were etched across corners of his eyes. Lips were held taut, as if they held that expression too often. Even the vibrant green of his eyes were beginning to dull. The worn look of someone that had experienced far too much of the world. Burdened by too much of its weight. In the slight distance, thick foliage rustled violently.

Reacting on instinct, Dean took a step ahead. Bringing his arm up, he forced the girl behind him. Body tensed in preparation for a fight, eyes darting around to locate it. So focused in his examination, he completely missed the indignant hiss that passed through his companion's lips.

Mel stared in disbelief. Eyes continually switching from the man's back, to the hand still cupping her chest. It wasn't the first time someone had gotten fresh with her, and it often ended with her breaking a nose or finger. Not really for vengeance. Simply to impart a lesson on respect. But this time she stayed her twitchy hands. Buried the feelings of violation. The way his body was bracing, the grope hadn't been intentional. He was trying to put himself between her and possible danger. Exactly how she would react to civilian bystanders on a hunt. When no further movement occurred, the tension in both bodies faded. It was then she decided to bring up the rather awkward position they were in. She cleared her throat roughly, calling his attention back. He looked over his shoulder. She looked down, and his eyes followed the trail. Bulging slightly when he realized where his hand lay.

"Sorry." He muttered quickly, drawing his hand back. Her irritation was replaced by curiosity. Wondering who the hell the guy was. Maybe a soldier? It made sense. He was much worn, yet instinctively protective. "So, any idea what happened?" The question poised brought her thoughts to a screeching halt. Forcing them to shift in a new direction. That was a very good question. She had already developed a half formed theory, but there was no way he would ever believe her. Hell, even she was skeptical of it. Then again, when had that ever stopped her?

"Honestly, I have a theory. But you are going to think I'm certifiable."

"Honey try me. I live crazy." He countered with certainty. The words brought the tiniest traces of a smile to her lips. She had heard them before. Multiple times. Each one convinced they dealt with more than their fair share of crazy. But when push came to shove, every time it fell flat. Their worlds involved tragedies and unbelievable human scum. But was still nothing more than mere human drama. It never held a candle to the things that trampled through her life. But again, that didn't exactly matter. Her idea was insane, even for her. She needed to at least bounce it off someone. Figure out if it was as crazy as it sounded.

"The Rashn stone." She mumbled softly.

"The what now?" He raised his eyebrows in question. She sighed slightly. The theory had already been started. Might as well continue.

"It's a legend. A very old tribe. They had this thing called the Rashn stone. According to legend, a devout priestess's father was executed by a corrupt judge. Distraught, she called out a curse on the man's house. Rather than dooming the entire household, a deity visited her that night. It gave her the stone as a gift. Promising as long as it was used, there would be no more unfair deaths in the pursuit of justice. I think we might be dealing with that."

"With what?"

"A trial." She gazed at him wearily. Waiting for the look of disbelief. It had sounded even crazier out loud. She was used to uncomfortably broadening people's horizons. Filling them in on the truth that things really did go bump in the night. It was one of the worst aspects of the job. The disbelief. Sometimes outright anger. And that was when she could give them concrete answers. Could tell them with reasonable certainty what was being hunted and how to stop it. But this. She was throwing around a legend that even seasoned hunters wouldn't believe. Another sigh escaped. She really hated this part. The part where they laughed. Or even just gave her the look. The one letting her know yet another person now thought she was insane.

"So you think this stone has something to do with it?" He met her look, eyes simply contemplating. No mocking smirk. Not even doubt. A reaction she was not expecting. For a moment, it made her feel surprisingly happy. She quickly pushed the thought from her mind. There wasn't time to be giddy. She needed to dredge up any scrap of information she could remember.

"It wasn't actually one of mine. I just did a bit of research out of curiosity." She admitted, trying to think. "There was something about the stone acting as everything but the judge. It was the lawyers, the witnesses; I think there was even something about it being the executioner."

"Executioner?" The word came out laced with the tiniest bit of apprehension.

"No, sorry that came out wrong. That would only be for capital offenses. It was closer to a punisher. It basically presented a case to a priest or priestess, and they would choose if the person was guilty." She tapped a finger to her lips, trying to force further bits of information to show up. "If I remember right, the trial basically present's the accused's life. If they had actually committed the crime, and why."

"Why the hell would a stone care about the why?"

"Because the tribe firmly believed a good person making a stupid mistake wouldn't deserve the same punishment as someone intentionally inflicting harm." She explained softly. So focused on trying to dredge up more of the ancient legend, she missed the thoughtful look crossing his eye. The evaluation of their new environment by green irises now intensely fixated.

"So what exactly should we do now?" He was completely out of his depth at the moment and had no choice but to listen to the expert. Or the closest thing he had to one.

"We just have to wait." She sighed, knowing how pitiful the response was. "From what I remember, a trial can't be stopped once it is started. We have to just let it play out. First things first, we need to figure out who exactly is on trial."

"Probably me." Dean admitted. She raised an eyebrow at the statement. "Kid I told you, I live crazy." Mel felt her lips twitch slightly. When he threw her a small smirk back, she realized she was smiling. It was beyond inappropriate. They were cut off from the outside world. Trapped in a time vortex by something that hadn't been tested in several millennia. What if it was a little rusty? What if it had developed a few kinks from sitting in the dirt for so long? Hell, the damn thing almost killed them at the start. Something could easily go wrong again. Costing them their lives. Or worse, trapping them forever in a loop. For the first time outside of a hunt, she felt so unprepared. She knew traces of lore and myth. But she had no way of getting anything that didn't already reside in the folds of her mind. No new research. No backup other than the stranger standing beside her. It was one of the most dire situations she had ever heard of, yet the humor of his words still latched on. Both smiles quickly dropped as another section of branches rattled violently. This time it was definitely not the wind. Bracing for possible attack, they turned towards the sounds. She relaxed and his eyes widened as the pair of figures stepped out from the covering of the trees. A boy and a girl, neither older than twelve, walked across the path. Holding hands and smiling at each other. Oblivious to the intruders now fixated on them.

"Relax, they can't see us." Mel sighed in relief. The still confused stare of her companion was directed her way. "We are practically ghosts in this world. We won't be able to interact with or be seen by anything. We can't really do anything more than silently observe. " She did her best to explain the situation, all the while taking in the scene. Despite the multitude of problems that could potentially destroy them, the process was still so fascinating. They were the first people in thousands of years to truly interact with the stone. To feel the brunt of its demi god level magic. She was a hunter, used to dealing with things others considered nothing more than fairy tales. But this was on a whole new level.

"Holy crap that's me." Dean uttered in total astonishment. He stared down at the child form of himself, unable to keep his jaw from dropping slightly. This whole thing seemed impossible. To go back in time was one thing. But reliving a precious memory from an outside point of view. He had never heard of anything that could do that. Yet here he stood, watching his very first date. The first romantic kiss of his young life.

"Huh." Mel whispered slightly, creeping closer to the pair. Captivated by the unique experience. To truly see into another's life. Memories faded and stories could be intentionally censored. Even pictures never displayed the complete truth. This was definitely something she would never have another opportunity for.

"What?" Dean moved quickly to her side. Curious as to why she was so engrossed in the scene. For him it was a greatly treasured memory. For her it was nothing more than one event of some random stranger. Not even an interesting one at that. The muttered question finally pierced the fog of her bustling mind and she raced to come up with an answer. It was impossible to explain how captivating she found it to have his life under a microscope. At least not without sounding disturbingly creepy.

"Nothing. Just noticing how adorable you were as a kid." The partial truth rolled off the tongue convincingly. He stared at her a few moments, as if he could see the omission resting solidly on her lips. Just as she was about to start squirming, the gaze fell away. He muttered a thanks.

"So does this get us any closer to figuring out what's going on?" He ventured another inquiry, hoping she had made any progress. Any new information was welcomed at this point. A walk down memory lane was nice and all, but the possible looming death sentence dampened the appeal.

"Maybe." She answered hesitantly, trying to allow the gears in her head to settle. This wasn't the first time she had to. A self-preservation technique she had apparently inherited from her mother's hunting line. The brain would frantically collect any bit of slightly relevant data, stripping it apart to find clues. Occasionally going so fast she couldn't actually keep up with it all. Not until the excess junk had been discarded. With the excess now gone, she could rifle through the remains that had been deemed useful. "If that is you, then this is your trial. And I have apparently been appointed the judge." His face paled slightly.

"Am I going to die?" His tone was clipped and even. A terrified man pretending to be brave. Dean looked at her with carefully guarded eyes. Not wanting to cause the girl any further distress, but needing to know if his head was once again on the chopping block. That in itself wasn't unusual. His job tended to be more dangerous than the typical 9-5. But this was something else entirely. Under normal circumstances he could fight. Hunt the things that hunted him. Not this time. He was dealing with ancient whimsy of a powerful remnant. Archaic magic that had vanished so long ago, even older generation hunters had never learned to deal with it. His only available resource a kid that just happened to get dragged along for the ride.

"I doubt it." The answer finally fell from the girl's lips. "Like I said, death would only be for capital offenses. So unless I'm about to see a string of rapes or murders, I think you're good."

"You sure?" The uncertainty of his voice was palpable. It was a bit unfair to display such doubt, but it was impossible to hide it. She herself had admitted this hadn't been her project. Her research nowhere near as strong as he would have liked. She did not look disappointed by his lack of faith. Rather, she displayed a reassuring smile.

"Fairly certain. Most likely scenario, you get convicted of a petty crime. The stone zaps you a bit to teach you a lesson. Then the two of us get launched home and go our merry ways. Might as well kick back and enjoy the ride." She chuckled slightly, drawing him into the laugh. He breathed a sigh of relief. Even if they were going in half-cocked, she seemed very confident in her assessment. As there was nothing he could do anyway, might as well follow her advice. It might be nice to walk down certain paths of memory lane.

A parade of images floated before them. The span of his life playing out before their very eyes. She smiled a bit as she watched him steal a Christmas for his brother. Biting back a laugh when the little boy opened up a Barbie. She blushed and averted her eyes when they were treated to a few of his intimate experiences. She rolled her eyes at his lame pick-ups, and fought the urge to high five him for some very impressive quips. When the memory of him bedding a former girlfriend popped out, she averted her eyes once more. But this time it wasn't from embarrassment. The other times shown had been rather raunchy. An animal sating a base desire. But this. This was sweetly tender. He had loved the girl. Once more, Mel felt terrible for the poor guy. He had absolutely no control over what the stone chose to project. Absolutely no sense of privacy. Still, she had to admit how fascinating of a tale he was. It also interested and disturbed her how closely their history was mirrored. His father mostly absent from his life. Almost as absent as her own had been. He too had the painful memory of losing his mother etched into his heart. It wasn't anywhere near as detailed as hers, but it was every bit as engraved. Hell, even the relationship with his sibling was a match to her own. They loved them more than almost anything in the world. Had raised them. Except he seemed to have done the job far longer.

As more memories passed, it became glaringly obvious the man was a hunter. She watched in fascination as he took on dozens of hunts. Fighting things that still made even her skin crawl. It also became apparent he was a world class pervert. Lying and charming his way into women's pants. The same as many men she had met. But something about him seemed worlds apart from others. Different than even the other hunters she had met. He had an unusual affinity for children. Bonded with them in a way few could mimic. The lessons he taught, the comfort he provided. It was something that would follow those kids for the rest of their lives, even though their time with him never lasted more than a few days. The stone obviously viewed that as a good point. She wholeheartedly agreed. The more that was presented, the more she was drawn in. His psychology was a difficult puzzle to piece together. He presented a façade of confidence to the outside world. Charged in as if he was invincible. The fact that the bravado was fake was more than a little unexpected. He was one of the few people she had met that actually deserved such a high confidence level. He played the dumb brother. Acting as if the cockiness was undeserved. As if he was nothing more than some lucky grunt. But he had to be one of the most resourceful and cunning people she had ever met. A strategist every bit as brilliant as her grandfather. He jumped in rashly on occasion, but was so quick on his feet it didn't matter. So caught up in her assessment, she almost missed the way the environment changed. The sky darkened in an instant. Becoming a wash of dark purple and blood red. Screams of anguish filled her ears, and her eyes became witness to unimaginable horrors. People being torn apart on meat hooks. Fire slowly licking away a woman's skin before starting on her muscle. A man hung on a rack as his flesh was cut away bit by bit. Mel felt her stomach drop. She had seen some really disturbing things in her life. But nothing compared to this. Her confidence and strength as a hunter quickly ebbed away, and she began to feel like a child. Like that night so many years ago when she was awash in her mother's blood. Only Shiva wasn't there to save her this time. Instinctively she took a step closer to her companion. Feeling a bit self-conscious, she grabbed his hand. Her embarrassment easily over ridden by the need for comfort. He complied, giving a few reassuring squeezes. After what felt like an eternity, the nightmare began to fade away. Even as the sky lightened, the images remained burned into her mind.

"What was that?" She whispered hesitantly. Still fearful of once more being forced to endure that world.

"Hell." It was the only thing he could say. She looked at him a moment. Pain and terror etched on his face. He was serious. They had just been treated to a tour of the fiery kingdom. She bit her lip and nodded in acceptance. There was nothing else she could do. She had witnessed him thrown on a rack. Flesh and muscle slowly peeled away as pieces of organs were culled from his body. Being hacked apart bit by bit only to heal and have them start all over again. She had also witnessed him throw another on that rack and subject them to the same torment. Maybe it made her a terrible choice, but she couldn't judge him. Not on that. Second hand images had reverted her to a weak and pathetic child. The fact that he took that punishment thousands of times before relenting had to count for something. The twisted memories continued to play in her mind. Caught up in the disturbing loop, she missed the next few scenes. It wasn't until she they were in some small dive bar that she was able to push it away. He had been flirting with some girl, and she had coyly mentioned being inexperienced.

"Oh shit." She muttered, angry at herself. She had missed the obvious pattern. Had ignored how often romantic interactions had played a role. It was a foolish mistake. "Please tell me you never had sex with a virgin without marrying her."

"Ah, that's kind of personal don't you think?"

"Fuck!" She hissed angrily. He looked at her a moment. Surprised by the sudden outburst. "How many?" Her tone was biting and sharp. Not something that would appreciate his usual humor.

"I don't know, maybe 4 or 5?" He shrugged, not sure what this had to do with anything. She cursed harshly once more, gripping the bridge of her nose in frustration. "What's the problem?" The look in her eye instantly made him regret the question.

"The problem is, deflowering a virgin was a crime in that culture. Virgins often got better dowries. Better marriage prospects. Tricking one into sleeping with you was the equivalent of stealing a better life away from her. Three or more times established a pattern of immoral behavior. Like the person was intentionally destroying reputations. It was considered a capital offense."

"Wait, capital as in-" He made a slashing gesture across his own throat. She bit her lip and nodded. "Oh fuck. Oh fuck. What do we do? What **can** we do?" Distraught jumbled words began to flow from his lips in a torrent. It was halted only when a finger covered his mouth to silence him.

"Just calm down and let me think." She whispered, nibbling on her lip again. It was rougher this time, and a few drops of blood fell from her now torn flesh. She neither felt nor tasted the wound. "The lore said the judgment was up to the priest. I guess that's me. So, all I have to do is declare you not guilty."

"So say it then." The words came out harsher than he had planned. "Sorry."

"It's fine." She waved the apology off, as if she wasn't fully paying attention to him. "To declare innocence, I just can't say it. There was something I had to do. Some gesture that said my faith was in you. But I can't remember if the lore even mentioned what it was." She took a deep breath and shut her brain off as much as possible to the outside world. It would be easier to sift through everything rattling in her mind if nothing new was being added. Words and images flashed before her mind. Anything not pertaining to the stone was quickly discarded. She remembered lines of text from books, of random conversations with coworkers. All of it beyond fascinating. But in the current context, completely worthless. Tossing aside dozens of thoughts, she was about to give up hope. A random memory jotted into her mind. Her and Kali sitting in the living room. She was about to throw it when something held her back. Despite Kali's outward teasing, she was very interested in history. Especially anything of the mystical persuasion. Mel allowed the fragment to play.

_The living room was mostly silent as each girl thumbed through their chosen reading material. The brunette tapped her foot against the wood floor as she turned another page in the old journal. Mel inched closer, trying to get a better look at the book. She recognized it instantly, breathing a sigh of relief. It was a translated copy of temple lore. The same temple that housed the Rashn stone. "Hey Kali listen to this." Both the teenage girl and unseen phantom gave undivided attention. Mel honed in on her past counterpart, especially when she mentioned the mystical object by name. She mentioned something about declaring innocence, but after that her words became mumbled. As if someone had turned down the volume. Mel hissed with increasing frustration. It only grew worse as she attempted to read the text. The lines blurred horribly, making the writing completely illegible. She tried to take a calming breath, tried to dilute her panic. It was becoming unmanageable. This was the exact information needed to save someone's life, yet she was not being allowed to access it. Taking another deep breath, she forced herself to refocus. To ignore current distress and listen to the teenage voices. It seemed to help._

"_Damn, that's just like a fairy tale. One of the ones you call creepy." Kali laughed._

"_Shut up". The older sister rolled her eyes. "At least this saves their life. And all it takes is a little-"_

Mel wanted to scream in frustration as the final clue was cut off. Her focus quickly shifted to the acute ache in her arm. It must have been what drew her out of the thought. As he was her only company, it must have been the guy. She had every intention of yelling at him until her face was blue. Calling him an idiot for ruining their best hope. Those thoughts quickly faded when she saw him. He was on his knees, buckled over in what looked like excruciating pain. Blood was trickling out of the sides of his mouth. She dropped down next to him, pulling him up by his jacket. His pain was already bad and she needed to examine him. His eyes were bloodshot, as if all the veins had decided to burst. Red droplets fell from nose and ears, but the majority still flowed from his mouth. She cursed harshly into the air. Time was quickly running out. Once again she retreated into her mind. Instead of letting the information flow freely, she forced the memory back to the front. Even if she had to read lips, she was going to find out what was said. Fast-forwarding to the good part, she honed in. The guy was closer to death's door with every passing second, but she needed to get this right. Her counterpart's lips moved delicately to create the sought word. _Kiss_. For the briefest moment she was taken aback as the information washed over her. To declare innocence, the acting judge had to kiss the accused. Of course. That was why Kali had compared it to a fairy tale. Someone had to kiss the princess to wake her up. She blinked quickly, forcing herself back into the world. The guy looked even worse. There was no time for shyness. No time to second guess.

"I declare you innocent." She whispered softly, pulling him into her first kiss. Hoping it would work. Droplets forced their way into her mouth, making the taste of blood overwhelming. But still she held on. Not knowing how long it needed to last, she was not willing to screw up now. There was nothing romantic about the kiss. An act laced with desperation and panic. Wide eyes watched his face, terrified at any moment the blood would continue to gush. Relief sparkled in turquoise irises when that failed to occur. Instead the red of his sclera faded back to white. The pain in the green eyes fading just as fast. The dirt and small rocks embedding into her knees began to smooth out. The slight clamminess of the earth quickly replaced by an unusual chill. With lips still locked, she gazed around the area. Shocked to find them once more back in the examination room. They were back. She pulled away and stood up. Excited that the nightmare was over. Wiping the blood from her mouth, she couldn't help but smile. It had worked. They were free. It took Dean a few more seconds to shake off his daze. The first thing he noticed was how painfully alone they were.

"Sam!" He called out quickly, hoping his brother had simply stepped into another room to look for him. "Sam!" His voice became more panicked as he looked around. Broken glass and splinters of wood littered the area. There had definitely been a major fight. Mel had been so relieved that they weren't dead; she hadn't noticed her sister was gone as well.

"Kali!" She called out quickly. Forcing herself to remain calm when there was no answer. It couldn't have been the stone. It could only conduct one trial at a time, so it had nothing to do with what was going on. She knelt down to better examine the floor. Sprinkles of blood were everywhere, but not enough to be fatal. It just looked like some hard core bar brawl. Goodness knew Kali had been in plenty of those. Most likely there was a tussle, and Kali ran either ran the other guy off, or dragged him to the police. At that moment, she was probably at home recuperating or doing research into what might have happened with the stone. "Come on." She grabbed the guy's hand.

* * *

"You have got to be fucking kidding me." Mel hissed, her eyes frantically scanning the desolate parking lot. Uttering a rather long and impressive string of curses.

"What?" Dean cocked an eyebrow, not quite understanding the situation.

"The bitch stole my car." Mel took one last sweep of the lot, knowing it was futile.

"That's low." He easily recognized that look. Extreme betrayal.

"Wanna know the worst part?" A wry smile was on her lips as she pulled something from her pocket. Moonlight gleamed off jangling bits of metal. Dean's jaw dropped slightly as he recognized them. Car keys.

"Dude now that is just wrong."


End file.
